Just a taste of what the 30 or so catechists received in the presentation on Gay and Lesbian Catholics:

Dr. Bill Mochon(gay Catholic, aspiring permanent deacon for the archdiocese, and co-director of theMinistry to Gay and Lesbian Catholics)told us that the Bible has nothing to say about homosexuality. The OT passages were related to hospitality, and St. Paul's references were vestiges of the OT habit of avoiding all similarities with pagan practices.

I gather that Clayton is planning to post more details concerning this presentation. Until then, however, I cannot help but attempt to connect some of the dots, at least for myself.

"All support should be withdrawn from any organizations which seek to undermine the teaching of the Church, which are ambiguous about it, or which neglect it entirely. Such support, or even the semblance of such support, [emphasis mine] can be gravely misinterpreted."

Yet the man to whom Cardinal Mahony has entrusted the delicate task of teaching catechists about human sexuality as well as co-direct the Archdiocese's M.L.G.C. ("Ministry to Lesbian and Catholics") is obviously a friend of DIGNITY. In fact, just two years ago, Dr. Mochon was one of the headliners at the DIGNITY convention in Las Vegas. Other speakers included Richard Sipe (darling of the "Keep the Faith, Change the Church" VOTF crowd); Brendan Fay (of ACT-UP New York infamy); and the ever recalcitrant Jesuit John McNeill (long-time 'gay' activist and DIGNITY member).

My question is: why is this man given a platform to teach catechists of the Archdiocese and minister to homosexual persons when only a short while ago he associated himself with an organization and with individuals who flagrantly opose the moral teachings of the Catholic Church?

Connect the dots.

This all fits in with what the LOS ANGELES TIMES reported regarding the Archdiocese's reaction to the soon to be released document on homosexuals and the priesthood:

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said the instructions would have little, if any, effect on how seminaries in the Los Angeles area admit candidates.

Actually Dignity is right on the hospitality refrence, there are gays(Fr's Reiske and Winkel's type)then there are the ones who are a priest and an active queen. Then there are gays that are one with the father in a homogenious lifestyle.(Majority are in this group)Dignity itself should be put to death. I have the scriptural refrences. My copy is at home and can't get another because the priest who gave me that copy died.

Your assessment of Dr. Mochon is inaccurate and betrays your attempt to advocate for the true church. First, Dr. Mochon is a man of keen theological insight. His intellect is one that continues to bless the church in Los Angeles. Second, Dr. Mochon was a speaker at the program because he does not politicize the faith. Third, he was a major asset at the Bishop's Conference of June 2002, in Dallas, TX. His voice proved to be prophetic, calm, and on point. Fourth, and this is the part that I like-he does not identify as a gay man. He is a celibate male who continues to live his vocation with earnest dedication. If only there would be more such as he. Going forward, you may want to get your facts straight. Otherwise, you undermine your own efforts with such displays of unchristian, hypocritical, and insipid remarks. Mike D.

I found a fascinating article and book review on the net that you might want to reprint or review this book yourself. It is called “That Undeniable Longing – My Road to and from the Priesthood” by Mark Tedesco.Take a look. I think the readers will enjoy it as much as I did.http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art46971.asp

(I found the book at the publisher’s website: http://www.academychicago.com/undeniablelonging.html)

Mark Nemetz

Here are some parts of this review:

This book tells the life of a Priest. A life filled with Latin, filled with lambs, filled with G-d. It is a life of celibacy, of poverty, of charity. It is a life filled with listening to the woes of the people, their sins, and giving the forgiveness through Jesus Christ, The Lord. This is the life of a man who has dedicated himself to G-d and the church, to the people, to His flock. After nearly 8 plus years, countless hours of prayer, devotion, and spiritual struggle. After a four-year degree, a post-graduate degree, many sleepless nights filled with fear and dread. This is a Priest. This is the life of a Priest. This is the life of a Gay Priest!

As a Priest-to-be, Mark struggled with not only his family and his faith, but also with his life as a closeted gay man. In his book That Undeniable Longing: My Road to AND from THE Priesthood, Mark Tedesco recounts his life, well roughly ten years of his life, of going from faithful Catholic parishioner to being a full-fledge Catholic Priest... and then back to being a "normal" Joe.

This book captivates the reader from page one when he wonders if questioning life and your past is a side-effect of being middle-aged. "How did I arrive at this point? Could I ever have imagined, long ago on a winter day in Rome, that I would find myself on this new path, my dreams not shattered, but transformed. And that elusive, relentless desire, for happiness - where is it leading me?" He sparks our imagination, at least those of us who are 30-something and older, of the days gone by. He makes us think about our past, and if we would have done anything differently. He makes us think about the lessons, the little "-isms" we have learned and discovered.

The life of a Priest is hard, as we learn. It is a life filled with monotony, with repetitiveness, and without much spontaneity. It is a life filled with being the moral grounding of a faith that is large and far reaching. To influence the lives of others is a path that many are not willing to take. Young Mark discovers this and so much more on his little journey known as the priesthood. From being an oblate in a monastery in the hills of Italy, to being kicked out, and then once again accepted by another seminary, Mark's adventure both captivates and invigorates you in addition to upsetting and angering you. In light of all the controversy surrounding Priests and sexual abuse, it is no wonder that a gay man not only questions his faith in the Church, but also in himself and his relationship with the Almighty above. The journey of understanding is not an easy one, which those who have had time to live a little bit more on this planet know all to well. The life of a gay man, and the struggle to not only accept yourself, but to reject others non-acceptance is also a journey filled with fears, tears and personal struggle. To go through both is killer, but one journey "Father Mark" accomplished.

This book is filled with controversy, with personal struggle not only with self-acceptance and faith, but also with the Catholic World. You will laugh, you will possibly cry, and you will most undoubtedly come to learn from the struggle both without and within. This book is quite well written and addicting from page one. I could not put it down and read it from cover to cover. It made me examine my faith and the faith of others. It made me reminisce about coming to terms with being a person of faith, being a gay man, and being a gay man with faith.

Discover more about the priesthood, about man, about faith, about life, about your life in this book. I did, and I know you will too!

About Me

Fair Use Notice:
This web site may contain copyrighted material the use of which may not always have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of political, human, religious, and social issues. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.